Method and apparatus for dispensing product upon subjacent objects

Abstract

Apparatus for dispensing uncompacted rice upon each of a continuously-moving train of plates from a hopper containing an auger which is rotated to effect dispensing only when a plate is in position beneath the outlet of the hopper. The hopper is caused to swing back and forth about an axis at right angles to the direction of motion of the plates, so that the outlet of the hopper swings downstream at about the same speed as the underlying plate while the auger is operating, thereby to concentrate the dispensed rice on a predetermined part of the plate. The timing may be such that, while the hopper is executing its upstream return motion, the next plate passes beneath it without receiving rice, the hopper dispensing only upon every other plate; another similar hopper at a downstream position then provides similar rice deposits upon similar parts of those alternate plates which do not receive rice from the upstream hopper. A wiper arm preferably wipes the hopper outlet clean of rice at the end of each dispensing operation.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Apparatus for providing a controlled flow of product onto a moving object, comprising: a hopper for receiving and storing said product in flowable form, said hopper having an exit passage at its lower end;   means for maintaining said object in continuous motion in a predetermined direction along a path extending beneath said exit passage;   auger means in said passage rotatable to dispense product downward through said passage;   means for providing said hopper with an oscillatory angular motion about an axis transverse to said path so that said exit passage passes over said object while moving along the direction of motion of said object, during at least a portion of said oscillatory angular motion of said hopper; and   motor means synchronized with said motion of said hopper for operating said auger means momentarily so as to dispense said product from said exit passage only while said passage is positioned substantially directly above, and moving along with, said object.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said hopper executes a plurality of cycles of said oscillatory motion, a first plurality of said objects are moved in sequence along said path, and said auger means is operated by said motor means intermittently and repetitively to dispense said product upon each of said objects as it passes beneath said exit passage. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 2, comprising means for moving along said path a second plurality of other objects alternating with said objects of said first plurality, wherein said hopper moves along and above said first plurality of objects and dispenses said product upon each of said first plurality of objects while they are moving, and moves in the opposite direction without dispensing said product when each of said second plurality of objects is passing beneath it, said apparatus also comprising a second hopper oscillating back and forth above said objects at a position spaced along the direction of motion of said objects from said first-named hopper for dispensing said product upon each of said second plurality of objects while said second hopper is swinging along said direction of motion above said each object of said second plurality. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising agitator means in said hopper for mixing said product in said hopper. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 4, comprising motor means for driving said agitator means, secured to said hopper to move therewith. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for providing said hopper with an oscillatory motion comprises pivot means mounting said hopper for oscillatory motion along said path, and drive means connected to said hopper for oscillating it about said pivot means. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said drive means is operatively connected to said hopper at a point adjacent to said exit passage, to effect said oscillatory motion of said hopper. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said product is a food product, said object is a food receptacle, and said oscillating angular motion is directly along said path of said object. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising wiper blade means mounted adjacent the exit orifice of said exit passage, and rotatable across said exit orifice to clean said product therefrom at the end of each dispensing of said product upon said object. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said motor means is mounted to said hopper to move therewith. 
     
     
       11. A system for depositing rice upon a predetermined portion of each of a train of plates moving along a conveyor, comprising: a storage hopper for storing rice, and having a discharge opening at its lower end;   auger means in said hopper, rotatable to dispense rice through said discharge opening only when said auger means is rotating;   means for swinging said hopper about an axis normal to the direction of said train of plates so that said discharge opening moves alternately upstream and downstream above said train of plates; and   means for rotating said auger means only when said discharge opening is moving downstream above said predetermined portion of one of said plates.   
     
     
       12. The system of claim 11, wherein the speed of said train and the speed of swinging of said hopper are such that two successive plates pass beneath said hopper for each complete cycle of swinging of said hopper and said hopper dispenses rice only on every alternate one of said plates said system also comprising: a second hopper spaced along the direction of motion of said plates from said first-named hopper and having a second discharge opening at its lower end, means for swinging said second hopper about an axis normal to the direction of said train of plates so that said second discharge opening thereof moves alternately along and opposite to said direction of motion and above said train of plates, second auger means in said second hopper rotatable to dispense rice through said second discharge opening only when it is rotating, and means for rotating said auger means only when those of said plates between said alternate plates are passing beneath said second hopper thereby to dispense rice upon those plates not dispensed upon by said first-named hopper.